The separate and secret articles of the treaty (or "Secret Treaty" as they are commonly called), were meant to bind France to agree in principle to the readjustments and allotments of terri tory and population to be made at the Congress of Vienna (q.v.).
The treaties of Nov. 20, 18 1 5, and their dependent instruments, were signed in very different circumstances. The representative of France was the duc de Richelieu; Great Britain was represent ed by Castlereagh and Wellington ; Austria by Metternich and Count Wessenberg ; Prussia by Hardenberg and W. von Hum boldt; Russia by Rasumovski and Capo D'Istria. The preamble stated the altered spirit and purpose of the Allies. It insisted that, as the powers had saved France and Europe from Napoleon's last adventure, they were entitled to compensation and security for the future. They had decided to exact indemnities, partly pe cuniary and partly territorial, such as could be exacted without injuring the essential interest of France. The territorial penalty imposed was moderate. France retained the enclaves she had secured by the previous treaty. She had to resign her gains on the north and eastern frontier, to surrender Philippeville, Marien bourg, Bouillon, Sarrelouis and Landau, to cede certain territories to Geneva, and she lost Annecy and Chambery. The standard taken was the frontier of 1790 (Art. I.). By Art. III. she agreed to dismantle the fortress of Miningen near Basle. The most griev ous articles of the treaty are those which imposed the payment of an indemnity, and the occupation of a part of French terri tory as security for payment, Art. IV. fixed the indemnity at 700,000,000 frs. Art. V. fixed the strength of the army of occu pation at 150,000 under a commander-in-chief to be later named by the powers, and specified the fortresses it was to hold in the north and north-east of France. The period of occupation was
limited to five years, but might be reduced to three. All provisions of the treaty of May 3o, 1814, and of the Final Act of the Con gress of Vienna not expressly revoked were to remain in force. By an additional article the powers agreed to join Great Britain in suppressing the slave trade. On the day of the signing of the Sec ond Treaty of Paris, a treaty of alliance, commonly spoken of as the treaty of Nov. 20, 1815, was signed in Paris by Great Britain, Austria, Russia and Prussia. It contained six articles. The first de clared the determination of the Allies to enforce the treaty signed with France; the second, third and fourth reaffirmed their deter mination to exclude the Bonaparte family from the throne, and specified the measures they were prepared to take to support one another. The fifth declared that the alliance for the purposes stated would continue when the five years' occupation of France was ended. The sixth article stated that in order to facilitate and assure the execution of the present treaty, the High Contracting Parties had decided to hold periodical meetings of the sovereigns or their ministers, for the examination of such measures as appeared to be salutary for the repose and prosperity of their peoples and the maintenance of the peace of Europe. It was in accordance with this last article that the congresses of Aix-la Chapelle (1818), Troppau ( 18 20) , Laibach (1821) , and Verona (1822) were held (see EUROPE : History).